


"What's your favorite Ring Pop?" and Other Important Questions

by serpenteeny



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-21 17:21:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17047370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serpenteeny/pseuds/serpenteeny
Summary: Betty Cooper doesn't go to parties...but she prooooomised she'd "show up to at least /one/ this summer, B!". So she finds herself at Archie Andrew's End-of-Summer Bash. Classes pick back up on Monday and then she can throw herself back into school.Little did she know his friends from back home would also be there.. and one in particular she'd hadn't the pleasure of meeting.





	"What's your favorite Ring Pop?" and Other Important Questions

__

> #####  We don't know what we're doing to our heads  
>  Every night when I'm laying in your bed  
>  I get scared and I start to think of you  
>  Is it true, do you think of me too?
> 
>   
>  _The Frights - Crust Bucket_

Cutting through pockets of party-goer chatter, loud surf punk music hums in the air. Archie Andrews's End-of-Summer Bash is underway and everyone in the building, maybe the neighborhood, knows it. The usual suspects are in attendance: Archie Andrews, his girlfriend Veronica Lodge, their friend Kevin Keller. Not to mention more than half of their acquaintances from the last 2 years of college, and those acquaintances' friends too. Josie McCoy and her Pussycats are allegedly putting on an impromptu performance later in the evening. All of these things Betty Cooper can tell you from the comfort of her own apartment, several blocks away. This is largely due to the fact that every one of Archie's "bashes" (...and "soirées, shindigs, or shebangs!") play out in the same way. Betty knows this, but she gave her word she'd turn up this time so she slips on her sneakers and locks the door behind her.

 _"...do you think of me too?"_ Jughead Jones mouths along to the song playing, arm stretched overhead to protect his drink. Bobbing his head back and forth to the music while moving through the throng of people, he nods in greeting to a couple of people whom he'd met a few weeks back at the last party. Jughead doesn't stop to make conversation; he's much too sober for that. Finding Archie and Veronica canoodling on the loveseat, he settles into the couch adjacent and entertains himself by taking a swig every time someone dabs. He's gonna need another drink.

\---

Not daring to show up to an event empty-handed, Betty arrives with two 4-packs of Archie's favorite local cider. Fortunately, she is not a stranger to his apartment so she immediately makes her way toward the kitchen. A few people she knows line the entry hallway and they exchange hellos, one of them taking a can of cider off of her.  
A figure is stood bent over in front of the fridge, perusing his options. She can't help her gaze from fanning out over his frame, the hem of his shirt low enough that his midriff is only just covered, and at that she finds herself frowning. Betty shifts her weight and clears her throat lightly so as to not startle him completely from behind.

"Do you want one of mine?" she offers as he straightens up. He takes a can and backs into the door slightly so that she can push the rest of them in place on the fridge shelf. 

"Did you get thirsty on the way over?" he jokes, gesturing at the fact that one was already missing when she put them away. She smiles and takes one for herself, the pop of the tab releasing and a wiggle of her eyebrow her only response. They chat for a while like this, mindless getting-acquainted-at-a-party banter. He rolls his eyes at her when she challenges him about _"what 90's group would you get rid of then if not the fucking Backstreet Boys?"_ but before he can come up with a retort, Dilton Doiley crops up out of nowhere, looking to get a drink as well. A blush spreads across Betty's face while moving out of the way. She realizes they had been lingering in the shared space in front of the open fridge.

Rather than continue to linger, Jughead moves away and gestures for Betty to follow him through the party. She is hesitant for a moment but decides she'll find her host later...Archie won't be stopping the party anytime soon. The man's tall, taller than her by almost a foot, so she can't lose him in the crowd. They dance their way through the fray, and the song is changing but they're barely into the next room. She chuckles to herself when he high-fives the raised hands of an unsuspecting someone dancing nearby. His eyes find the couch from earlier but it is currently occupied by guys watching some sports game on the TV. Archie and Veronica have since moved on, too, to god knows where.

Betty feels emboldened the more she sips on her cider and doesn't stop herself from tapping on his shoulder. Jughead tosses his head back and smiles at her: "You rang?"

 _God, he's beautiful._ Betty, bashful, "Yeah... do you wanna dance? Like.. here?" She gestures to their current space in the living room. Jughead turns his body into her, his drinkless hand taking hers and twirling her as best he can. They dance to the music, sometimes singing along with the rest of the party when a real banger comes on. It's much louder here than in the kitchen however so actual conversation isn't an option. He doesn't mind so much though and would continue to dance as long as she likes. Thoughts like _You're not even a dancer_ and _You don't dance with Sabrina?_ enter in but something about the lopsided smile on Betty's face and the drink getting to his head told Jughead he'd be alright.

In unison, the pair go to ask each other, "So, how do you know Archie?" but before the sentence fully comes out another, louder voice cuts them off.

"Betty!!"

Veronica's voice rings out from the staircase, her hand gripping the banister as she runs down the steps. Betty's head snaps towards her friend but Jughead's vision centers on Betty. _Betty. Like the infamous Betty that **never** shows up to any of Archie's parties but is his girlfriend's best friend, Betty. Betty like the Betty he was maybe supposed to be set up with two years ago before he got with Sabrina, Betty. "A shame because she's high-key your type, Jug" Betty. Damn it. **Of course.**_

\---

Jughead dips his head with his eyes closed, the warmth from the flame reaching his forehead. His long hair falls into his face and he uses both of his hands to push it back, cigarette balanced on his lips. A sigh escapes around the smoke curling out from his mouth and he frowns. He pulls out his phone and texts Sabrina:

**Jughead (11:23 p.m.):** Hey, Brina. I'm suddenly not really feeling up to it tonight. I'll swing by tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unbeta'd  
> This is sorta weird for me as Sabrina is my twin sisters name lol but I came up with this idea last night and here's the first chapter today. Please leave a comment if you can! :)


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